Short note Recently published important literature on bivalve systematics (Mollusca)

In October/November 2011 two papers were published on the phylogeny and classification of bivalves. The first (Carter et al., 2011) summarizes the suprageneric taxonomy of the Bivalvia for the upcoming revision of the Bivalvia volumes of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology (Part N). The second (Plazzi et al., 2011) assesses morphological characters of bivalve groups onto the phylogenetic trees obtained from molecular analysis. That paper suggests that eulamellibranch gills and heterodont hinge are ancestral characters for all Autobranchia (including Heterodonta, Palaeoheterodonta and Pteriomorphia). This conclusion would entail a re-evaluation of bivalve symplesiomorphies. Both papers demonstrate rapid recent developments in bivalve systematics, hopefully leading to a more stable nomenclature in a not too far future !